Reading 2.5

• Read the text below and think of the word that bets fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Speed networking

Speed dating events were originally set 1___________ to help young people from the same background meet and make connections. Although speed daters only talk to 2___________ another for a few minutes, that’s plenty of time to decide if they want to take the relationship any 3___________. In fact, people know whether they do or they don’t in a matter 4___________ seconds, only rarely changing their minds. 

Nowadays, speed dating is increasingly finding its 5___________ into the boardroom and the scientific conference, not 6__________ a means for business people and scientists to find their soulmates but as an efficient  and fun way of generating ideas and sharing information. Rather than spending valuable time listening to only a 7___________ other people, everyone gets to talk and everyone gets to listen. Just as in romantically-oriented speed dating events, participants put a tick 8___________ to the names of the people they would like to see again. They say it’s all 9__________ networking and information but I bet there’s the occasional romance too.